[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Secondary Construction



Hi Stan...
> > > 
MW> > Point taken, but...
MW> > Can anyone explain why sparks would prefer to travel down the 
MW> >inside of the former (winding) rather than the outside ?
> > 
SH> thppppppth! Oh, sorry, had to dust off some neurons. I'd guess 
SH> that the magnetic flux density tends to be greater inside the 
SH> secondary, and without the added dielectric of the end caps, arc 
SH> form more easily.

Thanks for the reply. I am of course aware of the behaviour of
plasmas in magnetic fields (a la Tokamaks, solar prominences, auroras
etc.). The reason I ask is because there is a well known photograph
of one of the MASTER's large coils (in a building) clearly throwing
sparks twice its height, yet without a plastic former, no sparks in-
ternally. The coil is clearly effectively suspended in air.

Malcolm